Improvement in horse hay-rakes



. 2Sheets--Sheetl. S. H. BUSHNELL. Horse Hay-Rake.

Patented March 2, 1875.

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Horse Hay-Rake. NO.]60,387. Patented March2,1875.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SOLON H. BUSHNELL, OF FAIRPORT, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN HORSE HAV-RAKES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 160,387, dated March 2, 1875; application filed January 23, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SoLoN H. BUSHNELL, of Fairport, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Horse Hay-Rakes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being bad to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure l of the drawing is a representation of a longitudinal vertical section of my horse hay-rake. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, and Fig. 3 is a sectional detail View.

This invention has relation to horse hayrakes, and more particularly to means for enabling the horse to raise the rake-teeth to discharge the gathered loads.

The nature of my invention consists in the employment of spring friction-clutches, which are combined with the hubs of the transporting-wheels, and also with a treadle and connecting-chains, as will be hereinafter explained and pointed out in the claim, whereby the driver can cause the rake-teeth to be raised by the draft of the team at pleasure.

In the annexed drawings, A designates the axle oftwo transporting-wheels, B B, on which axle tubular bearings are rigidly but removably secured, to which the rake-teeth are fastened. O O designate the thills, which are connected to the axle A by means of hinges a a. ()n the cross-bars C, which connect together the thills G O, the drivers seat D is mounted. The inner ends of the hubs of wheels B B have circular female clutching-plates b rigidly secured to them, one of which portions is shown in the sectional view, Fig. 3. Each female plate I) is provided with a beveled clutchingring, a, the beveled surface of which is exterior, while the beveled surface of the female plate is interior. The ring 0 is constructed with arms 0 c, to which rods d d are rigidly secured. These rods pass loosely through arms which are formedon a collar, e, made fast on the axle A, and are again rigidly secured to an arched connecting-bar, f. At the middle of the length of the bars f chains 9 g are secured, which are carried around grooved pulleys h It on a piece, h, and attached to a treadle, G, which is hinged on this piece h. The male portions 0 of the clutches are held free from contact with the female portions b by means of helical springs s, which are coiled around the rods at d between the arms 0 and the arms of collar 6.

When the clutch-sections are not engaged the wheels B B are free to turn on the axle A, and the rake-teeth wiil be held down in workin g position.

When a load has been gathered by the rake the driver presses down upon the treadle G, and thus engages the clutches and causes the wheels B B to turn up the rake-teeth and discharge the load. When the treadle G is released the springs s disengage the clutches, and the rake-teeth fall into working position by their own gravity, and may be held in such position by any suitable means.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a horse-rake having the teeth fast on the axle, the frictional clutch-sections b c, armed collar 6, connecting-rod f, rods d, and springs s, combined with chains 9 and treadle G, substantially in the manner and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that 1 claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

SOLON H. BUSHNELL. Witnesses:

G. L. PEAOOCK, JOHN A. MoMrLLAN. 

